Dry powder fire extinguisher



Feb. 13, 1951 c. H. SMITH 2,541

DRY POWDER FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed June 2, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 CECILH. SMITH 1951 c. H. SMITH 2,

' DRY POWDER FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed June 2, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 N l Ill 14 II lll ll'l Z7 M 1 Will] N1 13 I m- H W 1 24 CECIL H. SMITHLVVENTOR.

Feb. 13, 1951 c. H. SMITH DRY POWDER FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed June 2,1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 M Z, ggdwggmmy jfy 24 CECIL H. SMIT H INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES QFFI'CE 2,541,554 DRY POWDER FIREEXTINGUISHER Cecil H. Smith, Elmira, N. -Y., assignorto Amerlean-La.France-Foamite Corporation, Elmira, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication June 2, 1949, Serial No. 96,643

10 Claims.

V This invention relates to extinguishers'of the type in whicha'container is charged with a dry powder extinguishing medium and inwhich a bottle of compressed gas, such as carbon dioxide, is associatedwith the container, provision being made for liberating the'gas withinthe container in such manner "as to expel the powder byway ofa'discharge-hose and nozzle by which it is directed at the fire.

The primary objectof'the invention is an extinguisher of this type inwhich thevarious components are so constructed and related as tosimplify both the assembly of theparts and their disassembly forrecharging purposes. In its preferred form, the extinguisher of theinvention is characterized by the fact that these operations can beperformedwithout requiring the making and breaking of tubing connectionsand hence with less likelihood of faulty operation or failure of theextinguisher in time of need.

With the foregoing'and other objects in view, as'will later be apparent,the invention comprises the arrangements and combinations-hereinafterdescribed in preferred form in connection with the accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partially-sectioned, broken-out elevation of an extinguisherembodying the invention, certain of the parts being shown in-dottedoutline;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper' part of the extinguisher;

Fig. 3 18am elevation of the gas'distributor unit;

"Fig. 4 is a plan'view of such-unit;

'Fig. 5 is an enlarged scale, partially-sectioned elevation'of thecontainer closure and gas supply components and associated-parts; and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on-the line VI-VI of Fig. 5, certain ofthe background parts being omitted.

The container I is shown as being closed at its lower end by apart-spherical bottom 2 and having, at its open upper end, an exteriorlythreaded neck 3 (Fig. 5). The charge of powder in the container isexpelled through a tube 4 extending down close to the container bottom'and outwardly through the container shoulder by way of an elbow 5, whichcarries a length of hose 5 terminating in a valve controlled nozzle 6.These elements may be of any appropriate constru'ction.

Suspended within the container is what, for convenience, will be termeda gas distributor unit, consisting of a length of tubing l,a1soextendingdown close to the container bottom'but adjacent its periphery and havingits lower end directed more or less tangentially. At its upper end, thegas tube depends from a spider -8 which is secured to the inside of thecontainer neck, as by a sweated joint. The'hub Q of the spider, whichhas a through bore, serves as an inlet fitting through which thepowder-expelling gas is admitted to tube 1, as belowdescribed.

Referring particularly to Fig. 5, the reference l6 generally identifieswhat, for convenience, will be referred to as a gas supply unit. Thisunit, which is more or less cup-shaped, includes a base portion II,having a central aperture I2 therethrough and an upstanding, annularportion !3 in which is located an inverted, compressed gas bottle'l i.The shoulder of the bottle is shown seated on a rubber gasket l5encircling the rim of the annular bottle holding portion I3. Screwedinto the bottle is a neck fitting It which incorporates a gas controlvalve [7 of any standard or preferred construction. For presentpurposes, the valve is shown as including a projecting actuating stemit, it being assumed that the valve proper is spring-biased to itsclosed position and is opened to release gas from the bottle when stemI8 is pushed inwardly.

Means are provided for ensuring a fixed angular orientation of the valvestem with respect 'to the gas supply unit, the construction being suchthat in orderfully to seat the bottle in its holder, it must be turnedabout its axis to a predetermined position.

In the preferred form illustrated, it will be noted (Fig. 6) that asafety plug [9 projects from the valve housing at right angles to thevalve stem, giving the valve housing a more or less T- shape as viewedin plan; and that upstanding from the base portion ll of the gas supplyunit, adjacent its central aperture, are three spaced locating lugs 21]so placed as to receive the valve housing in one position only, as shownin Fig. 6. When the bottle is so positioned, the neck fitting protrudesthrough aperture I2, the joint at the aperture being rendered gas-tightby a gasket 2! set in a counter-bore at the upper end of the aperture.The threaded section 22 of the neck receives a clamping nut 23 which,when turned up tight against the underside of base portion l securelylocks the bottle to the gas supply unit.

The pre-assembled gas supply unit and bottle are designed to seatdirectly on the container neck as a closure for the container, a gasket23 sealing the joint and a clamping ring 24, arranged to be drawn downon the neck threads, serving to clamp the closure-to the container,

The construction is such that when these two assemblies are thus broughttogether, the lower end portion 25 of neck [6 of the bottle telescopesinto the inlet fitting or hub 9 of the gas distributor unit, thusconnecting the outlet from the gas bottle with tube 7 without requiringany union to be tightened or other separate connections to be made.Obviously, for disassembly when the extinguisher is to be re-charged,the same advantage obtains. A gasket 26 may be employed to ensure atight joint between the bottle neck and the tube inlet fitting.

The gas supply unit or closure serves also as a convenient mounting foractuating means for the gas valve and for a carrying handle for theextinguisher as a whole. Thus, as shown, an actuating lever 2? may bepivotally mounted on the unit as by means of a hinge pin 28, the innerend of the lever serving to push the valve stem 18 inwardly to releasethe gas when the outer end of lever 27 is depressed. It will be reconized that the above-described orientation of the gas bottle and. itsvalve with respect to the unit, ensures the proper placement of thevalve stem in relation to the actuating lever. rying handle 29 may bemounted on the same hinge pin 28.

In order to ensure a location of the carrying handle and actuating leverconvenient for the manipulation of the discharge hose, provision is madefor interlocking the bottle-carrying unit ill and its appurtenances inpredetermined angular relation to the container or, more specifically,in relation to the hose elbow 5. As shown in Fig. 5, this purpose may beserved by a boss 33 depending from the unit It and adapted to enter anotch 3i formed in the rim of the gas distributor unit.

In Figs. 4 and, 5, a flap or cover 32 is shown hinged to the gasdistributor unit. During the filling operation this flap or cover can beswung over the hub bore to close ofi the entrance to tube '4 and preventthe tube from clogging with powder.

It will thus be apparent not only that the assembly of the extinguisher,and its disassembly for inspection or recharging, can be effectedwithout the making and breaking of any tubing connections, which arealways sources of possible leakage unless carefully handled, but alsothat the assembly operations are virtually foolproof, since there isonly one way in which the bottle can be applied to the closure unit andsuch unit, in turn, tothe container; and each of these assemblyoperations is completed by the :1;

tightening up of a single threaded member. For these reasons, the extinuisher can be recharged without requiring skilled personnel and withoutthe hazard of the extinguisher being found to be improperly assembled orinoperative in time of need.

In the light of the foregoing description of a preferred form of theinvention, the following is claimed:

1. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having anexteriorly threaded neck at its upper end; a gas distributor unit withinthe container, including a tube extending down into the container and aninlet fitting secured to the container neck; a gas supply fittingincluding a container closure portion resting on said neck and anupstanding, annular, bottle-holding portion, the closure portion havingan aperture therethrough; an inverted, compressed gas bottle mountedexteriorly of the container on said. bot- A cartle-holding portion andhaving a discharge neck extending through said aperture in the closureportion into the container and telescoped with said inlet fitting; aclamping nut on said discharge neck, on the lower side of said closureportion, clamping the bottle to the supply fitting in gas-tight relationthereto; a threaded clamping ring locking the supply fitting to thecontainer neck in gas-tight relation thereto; and valve meanscontrolling the fiow of gas from the bottle to the inlet fitting.

2. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having athreaded neck at its upper end; a gas distributor unit suspended withinthe container, including a tube extending down into the container and aninlet fitting adjacent the container neck; a gas supply fittingincluding a container closure portion resting on said neck and anupstanding, annular, bottle-holding portion, the closure portion havingan aperture therethrough; a compressed gas bottle mounted exteriorly ofthe container on said bottle-holding portion and having a discharge neckextending through said aperture in the closure portion into thecontainer into communication with said inlet fitting; clamping meanssecuring the bottle to the supply fitting in gas-tight relation thereto;a threaded clamping ring locking the supply fitting to the containerneck in gas-tight rela tion thereto; and valve means controlling thefiow of gas from the bottle to the inlet fitting.

3. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having athreaded neck at its upper end; a gas distributor unit suspended withinthe container, including a tube extending down into the container and aninlet fitting adjacent the container neck; a gas supply fittingincluding a container closure portion and a bottle-holding portion, theclosure portion having an aperture therethrough; a compressed gas bottlemounted exteriorly of the container on said bottle-holding portion andhaving a discharge neck extending through said aperture in the closureportion into the container into communication with said inlet fitting;clamping means securing the bottle to the supply fitting in gas-tightrelation thereto; clamping means engaging the threaded neck locking thesupply fitting to the container in gastight relation thereto; and valvemeans controlling the flow of gas from the bottle to the inlet fitting.

4. In a fire extinguisher of the kind including a container having aneck at its upper end and an outlet elbow adjacent the neck, thecombination of: a container closure unit removably secured to the saidneck; a compressed gas bottle supported on the closure unit exteriorlyof the container and having a discharge neck protruding through theclosure unit into the container; 2, gas control valve in said neck;valve actuating means mounted on the closure unit; positioning meansinterlocking the bottle to the closure unit with the valve inpredetermined angular relation to the valve control means; a gasdistributor unit supported in the container in gas-receiving relation tothe protruding bottle neck; and positioning means locating the containerclosurev unit in predetermined angular relation to said elbow.

5. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having a neckat its upper end; a container closure unit removably secured to the saidneck; a compressed gas bottle supported on the closure unit exteriorlyof the container and having a discharge neck protruding through theclosure unit, in gas-tight relation thereto, into the container; a valvein said neck on the outer side of the closure unit; valve actuatingmeans mounted on the closure unit; positioning means on the closure unitadapted to locate the valve in predetermined relation to the valveactuating means; and a gas distributor unit supported in the containerin position to receive gas discharged from the protruding bottle neckunder the control of said valve.

6. In a life extinguisher, the combination of a container having a neckat its upper end; a container closure unit removably secured to the saidneck in sealing engagement therewith; a compressed gas bottle supportedon the closure unit exteriorly of the container and having a dischargeneck protruding through the closure unit, in gas-tight relation thereto,into the container; a valve in said. neck on the outer side of theclosure unit; valve actuating means mounted on the closure unit; a gasdistributor unit supported in the container in position to receive gasdischarged from the protruding bottle neck under the control of saidvalve; and extinguishing medium outlet means carried by the containerindependently of the closure unit.

7 In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having a neckat its upper end; a gas distributor unit including a tube extending downinto the container and. an inlet fitting adjacent the container neck andsecured to the container; a container closure unit adapted to seat onand removably secured to the said neck; an inverted, compressed gasbottle seated on the closure unit exteriorly of the container and havinga discharge neck protruding through the closure unit, in gas-tightrelation thereto, into the container and seating in said inlet fitting;means on the underside of the closure unit engaging the bottle the saidneck and secured to the container; a container closure unit removablysecured to the said neck in sealing engagement therewith; a compressedgas bottle secured to the closure unit, said bottle being mountedexteriorly of the container and having a discharge neck extend.- ingthrough the closure unit, in gas-tight relation thereto, into thecontainer and into communication with the said inlet fitting; andextinguishing medium outlet means carried by the container independentlyof the closure unit.

9. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having a neckat its upper end; a container closure unit removably secured to the saidneck; a compressed gas bottle supported on the closure unit exteriorlyof the container and having a discharge neck protruding through theclosure unit, in gas-tight relation thereto, into the container; a valvein said neck; and a gas distributor unit supported in the containerindependently of said closure unit, said gas distributor unit beingadapted to receive gas discharged from said protruding bottle neck.

10. In an extinguisher of the character described: a container closureunit comprising a cup-shaped bottle holder having a centrally aperturedbottom and an upstanding circular wall; an inverted, cylindrical,compressed gas bottle partially telescoped into the cup, the bottlehaving a tapered shoulder seating on the rim of said wall; said bottlehaving a neck protruding through the centrally apertured bottom of thecup; a valve in said neck; a gasket sealing the joint between the bottleneck and the cup bottom; and a clamping nut on the bottle neck, on theunderside of the cup bottom.

CECIL H. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED Country Date France Nov. 10, 1924 Number

